Locomotive-headlight cleaner.



-n.n..FonEMAN. y LUCUMOTIVEHEADLIGHT CLEANER.

' (Appliction med' Aug. 24,1901.)

' Patented Feb.: Il', 1902.

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UNITED .STATES `vPATENT OFFICE.

DA'VI'D H. FOREMAN, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

LOCOMOI'll/E-HEADVLIG HT CLEANER. I

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 693,319, dated February 11, 1902.

` Applicant inea August 24,1901. serai No. 73,154. No moan.)

To ctl'wwm it may con/007%:

Be it known that I, DAVID H. FOREMAN, a citizen of the United States of America, re-

siding at Denver', in the county of Arapahoe and State of Golorado,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Locomotive- Headlight Cleaners; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description ofv the invention, such-as will enable othro ers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and igures of reference marked thereon, which form abpart of this specification. My invention relates to an attachment for 5 locomotive-engines, and applies more particularly to the headlight of same, Ibeing designed to remove and prevent the accumulation of snow, dust, and like obstructions from zo the glass of the headlight and in like manner from the front windows of the cab. The arrangement is such.that this result can be effected at any necessary time by the engineer or tireman from the cab of a running z5 engine.

It is well known that in practice, with a locomotive running into a heavy snowstorm, the flying snow will accumulate upon the glass of the headlight and obscure the same 3o to an extent seriously diminishing its lighting efficiency and in like manner lodge upon and obscure the front cab-windows, cutting off the enginemens outlook and rendering operations upon a night run under these condi- 3 5 tions extra hazardous, seriously endangering the safety of both persons and property. The appliance illustrated in the accompanying drawings, when charged with air, steam, or other suitable liuid under high pressure, is

4o designed to prevent these conditions from arising without in anydegree diminishing the efticiency of the operative functions of the headlight.

Having briefly outlined the construction,

as Well as the objects it is designed to accomplish, I will proceed to-deseribe the same in detail, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of one form in 5o the headlight attachment, showing also in brokenoutline figure the adjacent parts ofthe locomotive to which itis attached. Fig.

2 is a corresponding front elevation of the p attachment shown in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a plan view of a similar attachment arranged for both headlights and frontcab-windows. Fig. 4l is a side elevation of the saine. Fig. 5 is a front elevation, in a slightly-moditied form of construction, of a similar attachment for headlights. Fig. 6 .is a side elevation of one 6o form of the headlight attachment and a part of the locomotive, showing the use of the tubular hand-rail of the locomotive in conjunction With-the headlight attachment.

' The same reference characters indicate the .65 same parts in all the views.

lSuitably mounted adjoining the side ot the headlight-glass, as shown in Figs. l and 2, or above and in front ot' the same, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, is an enlarged vont-tube 2, in 7o which are formed orifices or perl'orations 2, of anypreferred shape or number. These orifices are distributed over a part of the venttube in varying planes, causing the fluid under pompression in being emitted from them to be scattered over the glass at varying angles, as indicated by arrow-lines in Figs. 3 and 4. This vent-tube is suitably connected at one end, as in Figs. l and 2, with a connecting-tube 3, disposed longitudinally above 8o the boiler or in any other most convenient position and suitably supported, as at 3a. The rear end of the tube 3 is carried into the engine-cab, where it is litted with a valve 4, from which a supply-tube 5 is carried to and 85 connected with any convenient storage of air, steam, or other suitable fluid under constant high pressure. Where the engine construction is such as to admit of it, it preferred the hand-rail tube A can be utilized -in making 9o the connection between the cab-valve 4 and the headlight vent-tube 2 with the usual reducing-unions, dto., as shown in Fig. 6 at A' and A2, thus dispensing with the connectingtube 3, thereby reducing cost and avoiding f the encumbering of the locomotive with extra attachments'.

The headlight vent-tubes can be arranged vertically, as in Figs. l. and 2, or horizontally, as in Figs. 3 and 4, as maybe preferred. In roc Figs. 3 and 4 are also shown two upright venttubes 2c 2c, placed adjoining the front cabwindows and connected with the valve 4 by tubes 6 and 7, respectively. In this arrangement the valve a should be of any convenient construction of switchingor three-way design, permitting the connection to be made with either or all vent-tubes, as occasion may require.

A further modification in the construction of the headlight attachment is shown in Fig. 5, wherein the vent-tube 2e is in the form of an are of a circle arranged concentric with the headlight center and supported upon one or both sides by upright connecting-tubes 3 3c, which connect with the cab-tube 3 by a cross-tube 3e.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim isl. In an apparatus for cleaning the outer surface of transparent devices, the combination With a source of compressed air, of means connected with the air source, mounted in proximity to the transparent device, and having outlets disposed in Varying planes and arranged to discharge the air across the face or exterior surface of the glass at different angles for the purpose set forth.

2. In a locomotive-headlight cleaner, the combination with a source of compressed fluid, of a perforated pipe arranged in proximity to the lens or glass of the light, but not obscurng its rays, the perforations of the pipe being disposed in varying planes to deliver jets of fluid across the outer surface of the lens or glass at different angles, a conduit leading from the fluid source to said perforated pipe, and a controlling-valve connected with the pipe and accessible to the-enginenien Without leaving the cab.

3. In a locomotive-headlight cleaner, the combination with a source of compressed fluid, of a pipe arranged part Way around the glass or lens of the light, and in suitable proximity thereto, but not obscnring its rays, the said pipe being connected With a fluid source, and provided with orifices arranged in varying planes to deliver fluid-jets across the face or outer surface of the glass or lens at different angles for the purpose set forth.

4. In an apparatus for cleaning the outer surface of transparent devices, the combination Withasource of compressed air, of means connected with said air source and having a suitable outlet, said means being located to direct the air across the outer surface of the transparent device, and arranged so as not to obscure the rays of light passing therethrough.

5. In a locomotive-headlight cleaner, the combination with a source of compressed fluid, of a pipe connected with said fluid source, arranged in proximity to said headlight, and perforated in varying planes causing the Huid-jets to be delivered across the outer surface of the glass or lens at different angles.

6. In a locomotive-headlight cleaner, the combination with a source of compressed fluid, of a perforated pipe mounted in suitable proximity to the headlight, and a conduit leading from the source of fluid to said perforated pipe, the tubular hand-rail of the locomotive forming a part of said conduit.

In testimony whereof I alllx my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

DAVID II. FOREMAN.

Witnesses:

DENA NELSON, MARY C. imma. 

